Whole Cauliflower Braised In Tomato Sauce Recipes

WHOLE CAULIFLOWER BRAISED IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place whole head of cauliflower in a large pot. It should fit comfortably, with 1 to 2 inches of room left on all sides.Pour in tomato sauce, then add parsley stalks, chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and freshly ground pepper. Bring to sauce to a simmer over medium heat.Stir in anchovies, olives, and red-wine vinegar, then bring to a low boil.Gently push whole head of cauliflower down into the sauce. (Sauce should come halfway up the sides of the cauliflower). Drizzle with olive oil and cover.Let cook over low heat for 45 minutes. To serve, garnish with chopped parsley.

WHOLE CAULIFLOWER BRAISED IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place whole head of cauliflower in a large pot. It should fit comfortably, with 1 to 2 inches of room left on all sides. Pour in tomato sauce, then add parsley stalks, chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and freshly ground pepper. Bring to sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in anchovies, olives, and red-wine vinegar, then bring to a low boil. Gently push whole head of cauliflower down into the sauce. (Sauce should come halfway up the sides of the cauliflower). Drizzle with olive oil and cover. Let cook over low heat for 45 minutes. To serve, garnish with chopped parsley.

WHOLE POT-ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH TOMATOES AND ANCHOVIES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 450 degrees.
• Trim any wilted leaves and brown bits off the cauliflower, but leave healthy leaves. Put the cauliflower on its side on a cutting board. As if coring a tomato, core the base of the cauliflower: insert a small sharp knife about 1 inch into the base of the stem, make a circular cut to loosen the cone-shaped core, then pry it out and discard.
• In a deep, heavy ovenproof pot (with a lid), large enough to hold the whole cauliflower, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower cored side up; it should sizzle. Brown the exterior, turning it occasionally with tongs for even browning. This should take about 5 minutes; reduce the heat as needed to prevent scorching. Carefully turn over and brown the other side lightly, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the cauliflower to a plate and add garlic, anchovies and rosemary to the pot. Stir until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, white wine, chiles and salt. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Return cauliflower to pot, cored side down. Baste with the tomato liquid and pile some of the solids on top. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes to thicken the tomatoes.
• Cover the pot, place in the oven and roast until tender, 30 to 45 minutes; a knife will go into the thick stems with almost no resistance. Check on the tomato sauce every 10 minutes or so; it should be punchy and intense but not too thick, so add a glug of wine if it seems to be getting too dry.
• Transfer the cauliflower head to a serving plate or shallow bowl and cut in half, quarters or thick slices. Spoon on all the tasty stuff left in the pot. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of herbs. Serve immediately or at room temperature, passing salt and red pepper flakes at the table.